1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to monitoring parameters associated with a therapy, and more particularly, to systems and methods for assuring that a therapy is applied correctly and that a monitor accurately reflects an underlying physiological parameter.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In the field of medicine, doctors often desire to monitor certain physiological characteristics of their patients. Accordingly, a wide variety of devices have been developed for monitoring physiological characteristics of a patient. Such devices provide doctors and other healthcare personnel with the information they need to provide the best possible healthcare for their patients. As a result, such monitoring devices have become an indispensable part of modern medicine.
There are many instances where patients are monitored for physiological parameters derived from measurements obtainable by various physiological sensors and monitors. Similarly, during a course of a treatment, a patient may further be coupled to therapeutic devices used to treat certain medical conditions, as prescribed by a health care provider. In fact, medical devices, such as a physiological monitoring system, may be coupled to a patient so as to monitor the efficacy of an administered therapy by a therapeutic device. Accordingly, it is expected that a certain therapy administered over time to a patient would have a direct effect on certain corresponding physiological parameters measurable by a monitoring system coupled to the patient.
Monitoring physiological signs of a patient, as well as properly administering therapies or treatments to a patient, may depend on the manner in which medical devices comprising monitoring systems and therapeutic devices are coupled to the patient. However, situations may arise where medical devices may be inappropriately coupled the patient, resulting in an improper administration of the treatment to the patient or incorrect monitoring of the patient's condition. For example, a therapeutic device may become detached from the patient while treatment may be ongoing, resulting in the termination of the therapy administered to the patient. Further, crowded hospital wards and emergency rooms where many patients may be in close proximity with one another may lead to occurrences of inadvertent swapping of sensors and/or therapeutic devices among the patients. Again, such occurrences are undesirable as improper monitoring and treatment of patients may result. In other instances, the therapeutic device or monitoring system may cease to function properly and some indication of this is desired.